Card controlled calculating machine



1934- e. TAUSCHEK CARD CONTROLLED CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVE NTOR ma A'ITQRNEY mm. M

Jan. 23, 1934. G. TAUSCHEK CARD CONTROLLED CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITE i STTES ATENT' OFFIC CARD CONTROLLED CALCULATING MACHINE Application August 15, 1931, Serial No. 557,212, and in Austria May 27, 1927 9 Claims.

This invention relates to accounting machines and more particularly to those of the record-controlled type, and has particular reference to improvements in such machines wherein the different sections of the machine such as printing,

accumulating, etc are selectively called into operation by the mere introduction of the card in the machine.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 263,252, filed March 21, 1928.

Heretofore record-controlled tabulating machines required that the operator manually insert the card to be tabulated in the card feeding section and an operation of a start key to effect the desired functions. This necessity arose due to the fact that'the card feeding and other mechanism were normally idle and their operation was placed under the immediate control of the start key and not the record card. This arrangement precluded the possibility of feeding cards to the analyzing section by hand as is often required when a single card is to be tabulated alone, or in connection with other cards previously tabulated.

According to the present invention a special card sensing device is provided to automatically effect the operation of the manifesting devices in synchronism with the subsequent passage of the card past the analyzing devices when the card introduced is sensed by the special sensing device. In the present arrangement the feeding rollers are normally operative to carry the card to the special sensing device but it is clear that other arrangements may be provided and the illustrated arrangement is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

The main object of the invention is to provide meansunder control of a card to-be tabulated to automatically call the tabulating devices into operation and in synchronism with the passage of the card.

A still further object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity of the usual start key and effect the usual data representing operations by the mere introduction of a card to be tabulated.

A still further object of the invention is to automatically start and. stop the tabulating devices under control of a card to be tabulated.

The utility of the present invention is augmented when incorpora ed in tabulating machines employed for bookkeeping work. In such type of work it is usually necessary to make up statements according to items on tabulating cards, each statement consisting of a few items. With prior machines, without the refinement of the automatic classification control device, stop cards introduced between the several groups were necessary to stop the machine between the different groups, starting being under control of the usual start key.

With the present machine, no stop cards are required as the cards may be manually intro duced at irregular sequence and without the necessity of manual start operations. The ad- 5 vantages are obvious and the saving in time is of considerable value.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment;

Fig. is a cross sectional view of the machine illustrating the power devices for operating the printing and accumulating devices all controlled by the card introduced in the machine.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the main clutch and associated control.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electric connections.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the adjusting and con trolling means for the printing devices.

In the drawings, there is shown for the purposes of illustration, one embodiment constructed according to the present invention. The tabulating machine includes electrical devices for sensing the perforated cards in which the numerals are represented by a series of perforations commensurate with the value of the digit. However, other forms of sensing devices could be readily employed for the purpose of interpreting other types of cards, such as Hollerith cards or the form of cards designating values by combinations of perforations.

The motive effort for driving the various parts of the machine is derived from an electric motor 10 which may be set in constantoperation by the operator to continuously drive a pair of feeding roller shafts 11 and 12 through a gear train 13. Carried by the shafts 11 and 12 are the usual feeding rollers 14. Each of the shafts is pressed by springs 15 in order that the rollers frictionally feed a card 16 inserted between the rollers and a bed fplate 17. As the rollers are being constantly driven it is apparent that a card 16 manually introduced to-the rollers may be fed to the sensing elements 18 which comprise brushes adapted to make electrical contact with the plate 17 through the perforations in the card.

Referring to the wiring diagram, each brush 18, in the absence of a card, electrically contacts plate 1'7 which is connected to the line side 19 110 by a wire 20 and each brush is connected to its related accumulator and printer control magnet 21, a common connection 22 for the series of magnets 21 being connected to one side of the contacts 23. When contacts 23 are closed the brushes will close the circuits to the magnets through the card perforations and transmit a series of electrical impulses to the magnets as the perforations are sensed by the passage of the card past the brushes. Contacts 23 are normally open to prevent energization of magnets 21 in the absence of a card beneath the brushes.

In the wiring diagram, the clutch control magnet 24, is connected to the line 19 through a brush 25 normally contacting the plate 1'7 to retain the magnet energized in the absence of a card. When the leading edge of a card completely separates the brush 25 from contact plate 1'7 the circuit to magnet 24 is opened and the main clutch rendered effective in a manner now to be described.

From the drive shaft of the motor 10 there is a gear train 26, 27, 28 (Fig. 1) to constantly drive a shaft 29 (Fig. 2) to which is splined the shiftable element 30 of a clutch, the other element 31 being loosely mounted on the shaft 29 and having connected thereto cams and other devices for controlling certain parts of the machine.

Clutch element 30 may be selectively engaged with the companion element 31 by an arm 32 which is under control of a spring 33. The arm 32 has a pin 34 fitting in an annular slot 35 in the periphery of the clutch element 30 so that as long as the clutch magnet 24 is energized the arm will be held by the magnet to render the clutch inoperative. When the magnet 24 is deenergized, by the feeding of a card beneath brush 25, spring 33 is effective to engage the clutch elements 30. and 31 at which time an extension 36 of the arm 32 closes the contacts 23 to prepare the circuits to the magnets 21 through the brushes 18 as the latter pass through the holes in the card.

Each of the brushes 18 transmits a series of electrical impulses to the related magnet 21 which successively attracts its armature 37 and by a connected pawl 38 effects a step-by-step movement of a differential member 39. The series of members 39 are held in their differentially adjusted positions by pawls 40 engaging notches 41a in the 'members 39. A series of rack teeth on members 39 transmits differential movements to a series of accumulator pinions 40 normally engaged therewith.

The type bars 41 are guided in any suitable manner for vertical reciprocation and are normally urged upwardly by connected springs, 42 so that the lower. ends of slots 43 in the type bars engage a cross bar 44. The cross bar 44 is carried by a pair of spaced members 45 the lower ends having slots 46 through which passes the shaft 29. Each of the members 45, and therefore, the cross bar 44, is urged upwardly by suit able springs (like springs 42) so that a roller 47 carried by one of the members 45 normally coacts with a profile cam 48 rotatable with the clutch element 31. After the analyzing Operation the clutch element 31 has turned the cam 48 clockwise so that the roller 47 now coacts with a descending part 49 of the cam 48 permitting the springs to elevate the'cross bar 44. At this time the type bars 41 are eleyated by their related springs until lugs 50 thereon coact with one of the stepped edges 51 formed on extensions of the members 39. This action terminates when value represented by the perforations in the card.

Printing from the type may be effected by any suitable means and as herein disclosed comprises a plurality of type bars 53 loosely pivoted upon a shaft 54 and urged by springs 55 to engage a cross bar 56 of a frame 57. The'frame has a depending arm 58 urged by a spring 59 so that a lug 60 thereof engages the profile of a cam 61. During the rotation of cam 61, and when the type carriers have been positioned, the lug 60 is urged by spring 59 to snap quickly in a re cess 62 of cam 61 effecting a movement of the frame 57 with the hammers so that the latter by a percussive action effect printing from the type bars.

After the printing action the hammers are restored by the cam 61 away from the type bars and thereafter bar 44 with the type bars descends under the action of cam 48 to their normal positions.

After the restoration of the type bars the members 39 are urged to their normal starting position by their related springs 63 and to permit such action the pawls 38 and 40 are first lifted out of engagement with the teeth on members 39 by a pair of studs 64 secured to a link 65. The latter is connected to a bell crank 66 one end of which is actuated by a pin 67 secured to cam 48. As the pin 67 wipes past the extremity of the bell crank it shifts the link upwardly disengaging both pawls 38-and 40 from the related member 39 which is thereby shifted to its normal starting position by the spring 63. The above operation is preferably effected at the last part of the operating cycle.

It is also pointed out that link 65 is connected to one arm 68 of the frame which carries the accumulating wheels 40 so that the latter are not zeroized or turned when the members 39 are restored.

Any suitable transfer mechanism may be employed for the transfer operations and preferably comprises the type illustrated in the British Patent 289,055.

Corresponding to said patent wedge-shaped projections 70 and 71 of which the former is secured to a pawl '72 pivoted at 73 and the other to a lever 74 pivoted at 75, are normally in abutting contact. If a tens transfer is necessary a projection '76 engages and rocks the lever 74 whereby projections 70 and 71 slide off each other and the lever 72 under action of spring '77 rocks about its pivot 73 and causes an insulated contact element 78 carried by the lever '72 to engage with an insulated contact plate 80, one of which is provided for each denominational order.

As shown in Fig. 3 each contact element '78 leads to a magnet 21 of the next higher denominational order and the contact plates 80 are electrically connected together and are connected to the line side 19 through contacts 81. Contacts 78 and 80 prepare a circuit to the magnet 21 of the next higher order and the tens transfer circuits are all closed in common by the closure of contacts 81.

Contacts 81 are closed at transfer time under control of an insulated cam disk 82 rotatable with the other cams of the machine. The closure of' contacts 81 effects the closure to those magnets 21 which have their circuits closed by the lower order contacts 7880, the circuit being completed through the contacts 23 which are closed at this time and remain closed until the end of the cycle when the brush 25 again contacts the the type facing the platen 52 correspond o plate 17 by virtue of the P a 0! th card- As each magnet 21 is energized an additional movement of one step is given to the related member 39 and accumulator wheel 40. Successive transfers may be effected by successively completing the circuit to the hundreds order magnet 21, for example, as the tens order wheel 40 passes through zero caused by an extra step effected by a transfer from the units order.

At the termination of the transfer operations the roller 67 actuates a downwardly extending arm 83 of a frame 84 which is shifted to the left to relatch the levers 72 and open those contacts 7880 which have been closed.

As the time required to make the cams turn a complete revolution is equivalent to the time period required by the card to pass beneath the brush 25 the latter as it contacts the plate 17 caused by the removal of the card will again close the circuit to the clutch magnet 24 effecting the disengagement of the clutch and termination of the operation of those parts which were operated in synchronous relationship with the passage of the card.

The brush 25 ispreferably wider than the analyzing brushes 18 in order that the strands thereof to the right (Fig. 3) of the brushes 18 may leave the trailing edge of the card and contact the plate 1'7 before the brushes 18 do so. As a result of this construction contacts 23 are opened before brushes 18 again engage the plate 17 preventing improper impulses being transmitted to the magnets 21. It is also. pointed out that when a card is introduced into the machine the marginal edge of the leading portion of the card effects a complete separation of the brush 25 from the contact plate 17 so that contacts 23are closed before analyzing brushes coact with the perforations of the first horizontal row.

In the appended claims the term main clutch is responsive to the clutch usually provided in tabulating machines which forms the selective connecting device between the prime mover and the operating and actuating devices for driving or operating a plurality of parts, such as printing and adding members, which are set to represent the meanings of representations of perforations in the records.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A tabulating machine comprising in combination, a card feeding section comprising continuously rotatable rollers adapted to receive and feed cards manually introduced by the operator, a main clutch of the tabulating machine for operating parts in timed relationship with the analyzing of the cards, a sensing element, and means whereby said sensing element causes, said clutch to be operative when an imperforate part of a card fed by the feeding section engages said sensing element and shifts it to a certain position.

2. A tabulating machine comprising in combination, a main clutch for operating parts of the machine in timed relationship with the analyzing of a card, an analyzing section including a special sensing device electrically contacting a plate in the absence of a card, and means whereby the special sensing device renders the clutch operative when it engages only the card and is entirely separated from the plate.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with record controlled'ineans for setting up a plurality of manifesting devices for representing the meaning of perforations in the rec- 4. In a machine of the class described, the' combination with record controlled means for setting up a plurality of manifesting devices for representing the meaning of perforations in the records analyzed, of a main clutch interposed between said means and a prime mover, a sensing element adapted to have by the coaction with a controlling record a certain position and prior to the analysis of the record perforations, and means whereby said sensing element when in said certain position effects the driving establishmentof the elements of the clutch.

5. In a record controlled tabulating machine, electric circuits for controlling the energization of control magnets energized under control of the record perforations, contacts for controlling said circuits, a record sensing device, a main clutch of the tabulating machine and control means for said clutch including said record sensing device for causing when said device is shifted by the record to a certain position the eifectivity of said clutch for causing manifesting operations under control of the magnets, and means whereby an element of the clutch controls said contacts.

6. In a record controlled tabulatingmachine, record controlled means for controlling the setting up of devices representing the meanings of perforations in records, a main clutch of the tabulating machine and control means therefor, a sensing device, continuously rotatable rollers for feeding .a record to the sensing device, electrical connections between the sensing device and control means, and means for causing said clutch to be operative when a record shifts said device and opens the electrical connections.

'7. In a tabulating machine, the combination with a main clutch of a tabulating machine for causing the setting of manifesting devices representing the meaning of perforations in records analyzed, of a magnet controlling said clutch, and a sensing device comprising a sensing elementin the circuit of said magnet and shifted by a leading edge of one. of the records to control the efiectivity of the clutch by opening the circuit to the magnet.

8. In a tabulating machine, the combination with a main clutch of a tabulating machine for causing the setting of manifesting devices representing the meaning of perforations in records. analyzed, of a magnet controlling said clutch, a record sensing element shiftable by one of the records for determining the effectivity of said clutch, and means for causing the clutch to be effective so long as the element is in cooperation with one of the records.

9. In a tabulating machine, the combination with a clutch in the tabulating machine and a control means therefor, of a sensing device coordinated with and shiftable by an unperforated section of a record, and connections between the control means of said clutch and sensing device for causing the efiectivity of the clutch when said sensing device is shifted and so long as the sensing device engages an imperforate part of the record.

GUSTAV TAUSCHEK.

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